While not perfect, or particularly next-gen beautiful, Tiny Brains does offer up some intellectually stimulating puzzles. The addition of co-op definitely makes it a solid purchase.

A series as ritually re-imagined as Ys should have exhausted its creative energy several iterations ago, but Memories of Celceta corrects any suspicion of dilution or degradation. Falcom's commanding role in its production has lead to an aggressive and intuitive combat system and, along with an exploration-focused narrative, an adventure that simultaneously embraces and improves its namesake's legacy.

Fighter Within has plenty of shortcomings, but more importantly, I'm having a lot of fun.

LocoCycle offers a simple fun arcade experience set against a wild and fairly humorous story. It's not going to pass any "next gen" Litmus test as far as graphics and gameplay goes, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

If you're looking for a good fighting game this holiday that's accessible, not overly technical, and doesn't require a commitment or previous experience to enjoy, give Saint Seiya Brave Soldiers a serious look. It's hard to beat for the cost.

FIFA's first outing on next-gen is a solid effort that isn't likely to disappoint the casual or hardcore FIFA fan. Between the two, the Xbox One version includes voice command support via Kinect and legendary players in Ultimate Team, so I give it a slight edge as otherwise the gameplay is identical.

Madden's debut release onto next-gen is impressive and a solid first step.

It still brings some of the most intense campaign gameplay in comparison to other FPS titles at launch, and brings some unique elements (enemy A.I. and the OWL) to make it worth your time and money.

It’s certainly no Crash Bandicoot or Spyro, but it is a game you should pick up in the PS4 launch window.

Mario Party is continuing to see sequels and unfortunately it isn't seeing much change. In its 3rd portable experience, Island Tour, I had hoped for more enjoyable single player and internet multiplayer to keep players interested when they can't get their friends around. Unfortunately, the bread-and-butter experience of 4 players is easier to implement and more enjoyable on console experiences.

The PS4 version touts some nice presentation boosts while maintaining the excellent gameplay that you would expect from Trine 2. If you don't currently on Trine 2, this version is a great one to get.

Super Motherload communicates a desire for players to learn its regimen while simultaneously uncovering its content. It's a neat balance, one that rewards acquired skill with valuable efficiency, at least until its disparate final act trades musing discovery for twitch reaction. "What's at the bottom" was a force that drove me to Super Motherload's completion. Learning the answer diminished a desire to return.

Best of all, it interprets the hardware's peculiar control options not as a dutiful obligation but rather as leverage for original ideas; there isn't a single part of the machine that feels wasted. Tearaway comes together by showing its player a good time, and it's intimately focused on driving that final point home.

Unless you’re a big fan of the franchise, I can’t recommend buying Beyblade Revolution, especially at its suggested retail price. Its deceptively frustrating, promising a simple video game replication of real-life Beyblade that resides nowhere close to simple, especially as you begin.

NBA Live ’14’s dribbling mechanics (bounceTek) is done well, but the rest of the game needs some work. Bad A.I., dragging controls and subpar next generation looks really don’t do much for a series trying to make a comeback.

Under a thick layer of polish and charm, you’ll find yet another top-notch platforming adventure, chocked full of secrets and clever twists and about as challenging as anything Mario has thrown our way thus far. It isn’t groundbreaking or approaching the level of perfection that the Galaxy games did, but if nothing else, it’s a must-have title for Wii U owners.

Rivals serves as a refinement of ideas and principles established over the last three iterations of Need for Speed. This can lead to a feeling of sameness bleeding over Rival’s rough edges while also serving as a condensed interpretation of the series' better ideas.

The Bridge is an easy game to recommend given its compelling and satisfying gameplay and low price.

It's got its fair share of flaws, some of which could be patched-up, but I found the sum of Deadfall Adventures' parts good enough, and more importantly fun enough, to keep playing. Anyone that enjoys FPS games and who aren't too spoiled by AAA quality titles is likely to find at least several fun hours with Deadfall.

A stellar game all the way around. A Link Between Worlds maximizes the concept of depth, from the 3D, to the 2D mechanic, to the characters. This game certainly fits well in the pantheon of amazing Zelda games.

With the Rapture's cameo at the end of Infinite, it wasn’t clear how Irrational could make the same trick work twice. The answer is simple; the return Rapture in Burial at Sea isn't a trick. It's a venue to express an original idea inside stylish and increasingly sophisticated framework. In that regard Burial at Sea gives its all the narrative - and unfortunately comes up short when it wants to be a game.

There's a lot more to like about How To Survive than not, and at the end of the day, the addictive and fun gameplay trump its shortcomings.

Marvel Super Heroes is the latest, possibly greatest, in the revered LEGO games franchise. The Wii U's exclusive benefit of each player having their own screen is a big deal, but this is a fun game regardless of the platform you play it on.

If you’re a Wii U owner looking for a great first-person shooter that’s comparable to the current generation, then rejoice in knowing that Activision has provided just that experience for you.

The game functions well and looks all right, but it’s ultimately too freaking easy to recommend to anyone who’s serious about gaming and looking for a good value.

WWE 2K14 gets a lot right and its key drawbacks are at least a little bit overshadowed in the process. There is still a whole lot of room for gameplay improvement though, something one can hope will be addressed for the next release or even in part with some patching.

Backyard Monsters Unleashed is surprisingly addictive and fun, which bodes well for its free-to-play gameplay model. It's definitely something you should give a go to on your iOS device.

Infinity Ward brings a different kind of game with Call of Duty: Ghosts than their usual CoD titles. They have an intriguing, story driven campaign that is accompanied by an incredibly fun (and deep) multiplayer experience.